Army recruits still on board even after down season

McBryde, a safety from Ellison High in Killeen, Texas, was Army's first recruit to commit to West Point's 2012 class last July.

That left McBryde with plenty of time to reconsider his decision. McBryde watched most of Army's games through a 3-9 season.

The results didn't turn McBryde away from Army. He didn't waver on his choice despite interest from Air Force.

Two unofficial trips to Air Force couldn't change McBryde. West Point felt like home the minute he stepped on post in July.

"I just felt like I fit in a lot better," said McBryde, who will officially sign his letter of intent Wednesday and play at Army Prep in the fall. "Air Force is a great school and everything, but they seemed kind of arrogant and more technology driven. West Point was all about the leadership and that's what I really liked."

Wednesday is a big day for college football, when teams announce their recruiting classes for 2012. West Point does not release its class until reception day in June, the first day of freshman boot camp.

Army coach Rich Ellerson and his staff insist on being up front with recruits and families about the academy's mission. The uniqueness and challenge of balancing cadet life with athletics are stressed.

Not telling the academy's complete story could lead to unhappiness, failure and a desire to immediately leave, Ellerson said.

"I don't want any of that," Ellerson said. "I want them to be excited about the men they have surrounded themselves with. Those two things never change.

"They come and they stay. They don't punch out. They don't embarrass themselves in the barracks or in the summer. They don't embarrass themselves in the classroom. They come and they prosper."

Defensive line coach John Mumford introduced McBryde to most of Army's staff on his official visit in December.

"They tried to show me around as much as possible," McBryde said. "When I took my visit at Air Force, I was just with my recruiting coach."

Army didn't win every recruiting battle with Air Force this cycle.

"There's three guys that visited all three academies and they are going to Air Force," Ellerson said. "That's not news. The good news is early on we had a couple of guys that visited or wanted to visit that we got."

Ellerson added, "We are not winning a third of them. But we are winning 15-20 percent of them, but those are the right 15-20 percent that belong in this program, on this path, because it is steeper and more demanding. A higher percentage of our guys will have stuck it out and been successful, commissioned and do all of the things that we hope. I think it all evens out. I'm not worried about it."

Most of Army's 2012 freshmen will come from an Army Prep team, which was 7-2. Ellerson believes Army continues to raise the recruiting bar.

"We have probably more guys that will be in this class that had other honest-to-goodness Division I scholarship opportunities," Ellerson said.

sinterdonato@th-record.com

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